


Foxes in Forks

by Nora_Chroma



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Twilight (Movies)
Genre: Bottom Harry Potter, Creature Harry Potter, Creature Severus Snape, M/M, Severitus | Severus Snape is Harry Potter's Parent, Soulmates, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2020-08-14 13:04:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20192758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nora_Chroma/pseuds/Nora_Chroma
Summary: Tired of Dumbledore's manipulations, Severus approaches Voldemort and pleads for his help in getting out of Britain. Tom pulls strings to make it appear as if he has killed Severus and Harry while the two settles in Forks, near Seattle.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Title and Summary subject to changes.
> 
> Just like the IronStrange I just posted, I wanted to have that in the open.
> 
> Beware, Out of Character galore, I only know Twilight through fanfics and haven't read HP ever since I discovered Severus dies at the end (more than ten years ago...)(crushed my heart, that one)
> 
> Though the story happens in 2005 (I pushed the timeline a bit, Harry was born in 1990 instead, Severus in 1970 and Tom is still born in 1926), I brought the MCs' age down by one year so that Edward could be in Harry' year. Basically, they're in their first year of high school.
> 
> Thoughts are in Italics, but not within quotation marks. I use it for something else too, but it should be safe to assume they are thoughts too. If it's inside quotation marks, it usually means it's because the speaker isn't physically present. Like through a phone. And Parseltongue.

Forks' sky was cloudy, and it looked like it would rain any second. It was perfect for the two foxes who moved there in the afternoon. Their new home was near the forest, a one-story house that had been constructed a century ago, and whose last owner had died the year before. There was a basement that Severus decided to convert into a Potions Lab, and an attic that would primarily be a storage space.

Severus had been worried at first since he had caught the unpleasant stench of werewolves in the forest, but some research indicated they lived quite far from their house. He was glad for it as he didn't want to live nearby werewolves ever again. Living in a castle as a student with one of their kind being one of his tormentors was enough for a lifetime. His son's third year had been too much, too.

Harlow liked the house and the area, so they weren't going to move anytime soon.

* * *

2005 had just started and Forks was covered in snow. Severus and Harlow had finished to unpack the day before and were looking forward to their new life. Harlow was looking forward to starting school, though he was nervous. It had been so long since he had last gone to a no-maj school, he could only hope he wouldn't mess it up.

Harlow went into the living room, having completed the work his father had given him to see if he really was on par with high school students. Severus was watching the fire in the chimney, seemingly deep in thoughts, though he looked up when he heard him approach.

"Could we go outside?"

"Have you finished your homework?"

"Yes, everything."

"Let's go then."

Severus stood up and shifted forms in the same movement. He stretched before leading the way outside. Harlow shifted as he followed. He bounced in the thick coat of snow the first and Severus snickered when his kit disappeared in the snow with a small cry. He grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and brought him in the forest where the snow was less thick.

"Let's get acquainted with this forest. Don't stray too far from me, there are werewolves deeper in..."

Harlow made a little bark to say he understood and followed the bigger fox through the forest. Their black fur did little to hide them from the preys and other predators that lived in there. The stroll soon became a game, Severus showing Harlow how to use magic to change the color of their fur. It was only when Severus smelled the vampire coven that he stopped Harlow, grabbing him by the neck and speeding back home.

* * *

Harlow was nervous. He was fiddling with the buttons of his waistcoat, having adopted the style from his father, wondering if his first day in regular school would go well. His father had helped him catch up on everything he should have known but that because of the Dursleys, he had never had the chance to learn.

"You will lose a button if you continue."

He glanced up to see his father entering his bedroom.

"I know you're worried, but you shouldn't be. We're far away from Britain and Dumbledore, Tom promised me he would try to visit soon, and remember that we stopped in Forks because you caught the scent of your mate."

"I know," Harlow sighed.

"Come here, I have charmed a necklace so that you don't strain your magic keeping your ears and tails hidden."

Severus helped Harlow pass on the necklace and gave him a hug from behind before he had to go to school. Despite being only fifteen, with Severus' help, Harlow found himself in high school, with sixteen to eighteen years old teenagers. He didn't really care, though, as long as people didn't point it out every day and tease him about it.

"The necklace will also protect you from foreign magic. I don't know about the vampire coven in Forks, but some vampires have retained some of their magic if they were wizards before."

* * *

Severus drove Harlow to school. The young fox garnered the attention as few people his age as he wore waistcoat, dress pants and dress shoes. He looked dashing in the ensemble, though Severus had told him he was "cute", and that his ears and tails only accentuated that fact. Harlow buttoned his coat back as he felt the bite of the winter wind. His muffler followed, covering his nose. He didn't really need it, since he was just crossing the parking lot, but it had the advantage of muffling the scents he could smell, and not overwhelm his sensitive nose.

As he walked to the office, wishing he had stayed in his warm bed, he didn't notice the five vampires that were on the parking lot. The smallest of them bounced on her feet when she saw him pass by and tried to contain a squeal.

"Did you see him? I told you he was cute!"

"Looks like he should be in grade school to be honest." The tallest one commented.

"His scent isn't quite human... Did you catch anything, Edward?"

"Not really...." his worried tone made them all look back at him.

"What do you mean?"

"I can hear his thoughts... but it's all muffled, even if some words are clear..."

"Does it help?"

"He thinks about his father mostly."

"Let's keep an eye on him."

* * *

It was Edward who first met the new student, in math class. From up close, the boy was really small, smaller than even Alice was. He did look like a grade schooler. Their teacher kept him at her desk before giving him a paper slip back.

"Why don't you introduce yourself to your new classmates? Tell us a bit about yourself."

"Oh, uh, my name is Harlow Snape. I'm fifteen. My father and I, we moved to Forks during Christmas break from Scotland."

Edward was surprised. If he was just fifteen, why did he look like he was ten? Did his father abuse him? No, the boy's thoughts about the man were pure and happy. Fear was absent from them.

Harlow was directed to one empty seat, which was the one next to Edward, their teacher thinking he could use the help of someone with good grades.

The non-human scent he caught from the boy helped Edward concentrate on the thoughts he could barely hear coming from him. Mid-lesson, he heard a soft whine. A glance to his side showed him that Harlow was struggling with the exercise they were doing, snippets of his thoughts confirmed it. The defeated sigh coming from the boy made him turn and do something he never did before: talk to another student.

"Do you need help?" he asked, softly enough that people around them wouldn't hear it.

Harlow straightened and looked up at him.

"Please?"

From real up close, Harlow was probably the cutest thing Edward had ever seen. Big dark green eyes, a pair of glasses perched on a fine nose, and black hair that fell to his shoulders in soft waves.

Edward filed those observations away for now and helped the younger boy.

* * *

At lunch, Harlow discovered that teenagers were a crazy bunch of people, not thinking twice about manhandling others so that they would sit with you and talk. After what happened in his previous school, Harlow wasn't keen on staying quiet, though, and before he could be forced to sit, he turned on his heels, and darted to one empty table in the corner.

Sitting where he could have an eye on the others, Harlow quickly noticed the teenagers he had caught a glimpse of when his father had deposited him at school, and among them was Edward Cullen, the boy he sat next to in Math. He sneaked a glance at them and noticed they all had amber eyes. He dismissed the thought they were werewolves because they didn't smell like it at all (they reeked of wet dog, it was awful) and concluded they must be the coven of vampires his father had told him about.

He was fine with it. Amber eyes meant they fed on animal blood rather than humans, so Harlow didn't care that they were mingling with no-majs. His father and himself were doing it, and they were far from being human.

Unbeknownst to him, his thoughts had been heard.

Edward didn't catch it all, but enough to know the Snapes knew what they were, and that they were not human, as suspected. He was curious about what they were though. He shared what he heard to his family, and they agreed to talk to Carlisle when he would be back from work.

* * *

The rest of the day, Harlow managed to avoid Jessica's group of friends. He gravitated unconsciously around Edward with whom he shared his last class of the day, literature. The vampire was surprisingly... nice, considering Harlow caught whispers about the Cullens' reticence to mingle with common mortals. If only people knew how accurate the "mortal" comment was.

His nose had been catching the most enticing scent since the beginning of the day. Harlow wondered about his mate's identity. His father had told him it would be hard to find them because they were strangers and he wasn't accustomed to their scents enough to catch the mate flag. His father had been lucky, he had known his mother since they were kids, so all the subtleties of her scent had been already known by the time he had become fifteen.

A part of him wanted it to be Edward. The vampire was gentle, a bit like his father if he was honest. They both seemed as if they had stepped out of the previous century (the wizarding world was like that too), and very gentlemanly too. He didn't know what it said about him to wish for a mate that resembled his father, but he didn't care. His mate would be perfect for him, that was what mattered.

* * *

Harlow was happy to see his father waiting for him when classes were over. He bid goodbye to Edward, who had been a great help during the day.

"How was your day?" Severus asked as soon as he slid in the car.

"Fine. I think I met the vampire coven. Well, I only talked to one of them."

"What was your impression of them?"

"They're vegetarians, they have amber eyes, and Edward was really nice, you know."

Was it Severus, or did he really hear the longing in his kit's voice? He knew it would happen but hadn't expected it so soon. Maybe it was because they lived near the coven and they could catch their scents in the forest. Either way, he'd have to contact the leader of the coven soon.

"And beside Edward?"

Harlow heaved a sigh, "I didn't expect high school to be so hard... and people keep staring at me. And then, I was manhandled at lunch! There's a girl who thinks she can just grab people and talk their ears off. Do you think I can use magic to get her off my back?"

"Only if it's subtle. We have the MACUSA's authorization to practice magic on US soil, but we have no way to know if Dumbledore have some spies there and is searching for our magical signatures. Our only saving grace is that he can't track Fox magic."

"Alright, I'll be careful."

* * *

The next days were spent the same way. Harlow struggled in subjects like math and biology, but he was at ease when it came to languages. His father's potions had boosted his knowledge, and the blocks that had been lifted from his core also helped with the assimilation of that knowledge. His life was a bit easier like this. And using small spells to get Jessica and her cohorts off his back made it even easier. The young fox found himself gravitating around Edward. He was also glad for the necklace his father had given him, otherwise he would have busted their cover. He could feel his ears perk up, wanting to burst through the powerful glamour, each time he heard Edward's voice.

With the upcoming birthday of his father, though, Harlow didn't have time to think about his reactions to Edward. Since the man had told him he would be busy all day to brew, Harlow was able to go into town by himself the day before the big day. Armed with his smartphone, the fox roamed through the supermarket searching for cake ingredients.

He hit his first hurdle when it came to pick a bag of flour from the shelves. It was just his luck that it'd be situated too high for him to reach, even on tiptoes, and he wasn't about to climb on the shelves like a monkey or use magic in public places.

"Need help?" A familiar voice asked from behind him.

"You seem to appear every time I need help, Edward." Harlow turned around to see his classmate, accompanied by a woman who wasn't one of his sisters.

"Must be fate." Edward gave him a fond smile. "Ah, let me introduce you to my mother, Esme."

"Nice to meet you, madam. My name is Harlow Snape. My father and I recently moved in Forks."

"It's nice to meet you as well, Harlow. Edward spoke a lot about you." Harlow shook her hand, wondering if Edward indeed did speak about him to his parents, and if it was indeed the case, what he told them.

"What did you plan to bake?" Edward asked as he grabbed a bag for him.

"A chocolate cake for my father's birthday. I want it to be big, even if we're just three to eat it."

"Three?"

"My father's boyfriend is coming to Forks to celebrate with us."

_It's not yet official, though._ Edward caught that thought quite clearly among the ocean produced by Forks's mortal population.

"You seem happy about that... I don't know a lot of people who would accept someone in a parent's place..."

"Tom's been in love with my father since they met when Dad was seventeen. When I met him last year, I just knew they'd be good together."

Edward smiled gently at him. Though the rest of the coven was a bit wary at letting the young boy close to them, because they still couldn't tell what his father and he were, Edward could only feel gentleness radiating from the small boy, even if he wasn't an empath.

"Oh! I was... wondering if..." Harlow rubbed his arm nervously, "I could meet with your... coven...?"

Harlow saw Edward freeze. Maybe he should have brought it up with his father around rather than alone in a supermarket. But his father had told him to do it when it felt right. And it did.

Edward turned to Esme with a concerned gaze. She didn't seem alarmed by his request, and Edward had the feeling Alice has been hiding things from him again.

"Of course, everyone is waiting for us." Esme admitted after a short silence.

"Waiting?"

"Alice can see things, possible futures."

Harlow made a small sound Edward thought was a growl. The boy nodded, nevertheless.

"Alright. I still need to buy some more things and then I'd be ready to go."

They bought all the ingredients necessary for the chocolate cake, and some extras just in case. Harlow followed Edward to his car, realizing that he wouldn't have been able to go back to his house with his arms laden with his groceries as he had shifted to his fox form before coming here. He knew how to shift clothes and the things he might carry inside their pockets with him, but not objects he had to carry by himself.

He snapped back to the present when Edward opened the door for him. Esme was already in the car, buckling her belt. He slid in the backseat with a nod of thanks and his groceries next to him to buckle his own belt.

The path Edward took seemed familiar for a while as he drove toward the edge of the town, but Harlow remembered that his own house was in the same direction. He never smelled them in the forest, so he hadn't noticed they were neighbors. He wondered if they even knew his father and him were living nearby.

Harlow could feel his ears push against the strong magic of his father as they approached the Cullens' home. It was a vain effort of their part, but _they always moved_, and since he had the necklace, always tried to get free. He knew it was important to keep it around his neck to not get hunted by common folk, but it was frustrating not to be able to let them out.

He was startled by a ringing, and realized it came from his pocket. Looking at the caller ID, his face split into two and he hurried to answer.

"Hi, Tom!"

"_Hello, angel. How are you doing today?_"

"I'm good. Daddy's busy so I went shopping..."

"_You've decided on that twenty-four-layer chocolate cake then?_"

"Yes. He's gonna eat it all by himself, I know it."

Tom chuckled. "_He loves chocolate so much. The darker the better._"

"Are you still coming tomorrow?"

"_Of course, I wouldn't miss it for anything, I miss the both of you. Even entertained the idea of coming right now. I really need a break._"

"Is LeStrange sane enough for you to be absent a day and a half?"

"_Barty knows not to let her roam and wreak havoc... I don't want the old coot on my trail that soon._"

Harlow watched the forest pass by the windows of the car.

"Do you want to come now? I will bake the cake... and you will meet a coven of vegetarian vampires."

"_Oh, the Cullens or the Denalis?_"

"The Cullens. You know them?"

"Of _them, yes. Didn't seem they'd like to be recruited by yours truly. As for coming now... well, I need to finish two or three things and I think I can come. Send me your location, and I'll pop by._"

Harlow hanged up and was surprised they were already arriving at the coven's house. It looked more modern than their own house, and his nose picked the other vampires' scents. He recognized all but one from school, meaning that even their 'father' was present. He was growing nervous, though. Maybe he should have done this another day, with his father around, after all.

"Here we are."

Harlow got out of the car as soon as it was stopped (and Edward had opened his door like the gentleman he was). He grabbed his groceries and followed the two vampires inside.

The coven was all assembled into the living room, indeed waiting for them to come back. Esme was immediately greeted back by her husband, but Edward ignored everyone and led Harlow to the kitchen where he could put his groceries on the center island unit.

Edward threw a glare at Alice sat on the sofa when they entered the living room.

"Hello, Harlow. I am Carlisle, the head of this coven. You already know the rest of us."

"It's nice to meet you. Esme told me you were... waiting for me?"

"Yes. I don't know if Edward told you, but Alice possess the gift of subjective precognition. She can see possible futures and meeting with you seemed an event that _had_ to happen. She didn't tell us the details."

"Do you each have a special talent then?"

"Well, some are rather passive, like Edward's superior speed, or Emmett's strength. Jasper is an empath and can even manipulate emotions of others. And... well, Edward can read people minds."

Harlow rounded up on Edward, with a shocked expression on his face.

"I can't turn it off, if you want to know. And it doesn't seem to work really well on you."

"Ah, that means my father's necklace works."

"Necklace?"

Harlow seemed to hesitate just a moment before reaching into his shirt and pulling out said necklace. He let it drop on his chest and reached at the back to unclasp it. As soon as it was done, Edward found his thoughts to be clearer, but it barely had time to process it as ears popped out on the top of Harlow's head and tails appeared at his back.

"My father fashioned the necklace to protect me from spells and other than could harm me. It also serves to hide what I really am since I'm still unable to do it on my own for a long time."

He raised a hand to one of his ears to massage it. They always were sore when he was wearing the necklace for too long.

"My father and I, we're foxes, or the correct term would be Kyuubigitsune. They are Youkais coming from Japan, but we've come from Scotland."

Harlow was offered a seat, and he spilled everything out to them. Magic, and the reason they had moved in Forks. Before he could explain his own species, his phone rang in his pocket.

"Ah! I forgot about Tom! Say, what's the coordinates of the house?"

Even as he asked, he was checking it with his phone's GPS function. He typed the coordinates and send them to Tom in replay to his "All done" text.

The man appeared in a crack in the coven's living room. He was tall and clad in the same style of clothes as Harlow and Severus, the only thing that was different was the enormous snake draped over his shoulders.

"You brought Nagini!"

"She wouldn't have let me leave without her, you know that. You'd think I wouldn't need a mother at my age, but no, here she is." He petted her head with obvious affection. "She said she was missing the two of you, too, so..."

He held out his arm, Nagini having decided she wanted to move to wind around Harlow's shoulders.

"_You seem to be doing well, being so far from Tom._"

"_Yes. Daddy and I really like this place too._" He petted her head as it slid between his ears.

"Ah, Tom, let me introduce you," he glanced at the coven, "this is the Cullen Coven. There's Carlisle, the head with his mate, Esme, Rosalie and Emmet, Alice and Jasper, and Edward. The last three have invasive talents, seeing the future, manipulating emotions and reading minds." Tom smiled at that. "Guys, this is Tom Riddle. My father's boyfriend!"

"Soon to be." Tom corrected. "I'm glad to finally meet you. I heard about your coven when I approached another for recruitment."

"Recruitment?"

"Yes. I'm leading a revolution of sort in Britain. Creatures classified as Dark by our ministry are being wrongfully treated by the Light side," Tom rolled his eyes, "and I strive to put some wrings right. Especially the orphans left on their own and the abuse of their caretakers..."

"Is Dumbledore still giving you a hard time?"

"I wish I could strangle him with my own hands, watch the life leaving his eyes and be the last thing he ever saw."

Harlow chuckled. Tom thought the same way his Daddy did. The only thing stopping Severus was the fact that he could get caught, tried and sent to Azkaban, and thus leave Harlow all alone. Well, maybe not alone, he'd have fled to Tom's before they could sink their claws back in him.

"When are you and Daddy going to get together?" he finally asked. They were dancing around each other for a year, that he knew about, and it was driving him crazy.

"He's resisting, it took me twenty years to make him acknowledge I could be a suitable mate."

Harlow was confused at that. He knew Tom had been trying to make his father fall in love with him, but he hadn't known it had started when he was still a teenager. Had... Had Tom hated his Mama?

Harlow caught Edward's concerned gaze, and the fox realized his thoughts were being broadcast now that he wasn't wearing his necklace. He tried for a reassuring smile, but it still bothered him.

"Harlow?" Tom's hand was carded in his hair. "I didn't resent your mother one bit." He told him, as if he had read his mind, which might be the case, knowing him. "Severus would have hated me if I did something to her, and I couldn't risk that. You think a widowed or rejected fox has it bad, but have you ever thought about the people falling in love with them and not even registering on their radar? About those people who keep on hoping, 'one day, they will notice me'?"

"But... Daddy likes you... I know he misses you; He's looking forward to you coming for his birthday. Sometimes, when he's working, his tails just start to wag, and I know he's thinking about you when it does. I just know."

Tom petted his hair more gently.

"Weren't we supposed to bake a massive chocolate cake together?" Tom asked when Harlow felt calmer.

"We were!" His tails wagged. Esme chuckled at the sight.

"You can use our kitchen, Harlow."

"Thank you, Mrs. Cullen."

It was a sight to behold, Harlow was sure, a Dark Lord baking a chocolate cake in a coven's kitchen. Nagini was draped over the counter, body curled around bowls. Harlow had to scold her when she tried to dip her head in one filled with chocolate. Halfway through the recipe, Harlow snapped pictures of him when the man didn't notice.

"I know I probably read about it in my third year... but can vampires eat?" Harlow wondered as he dipped a finger in the bowl he had protected from Nagini. "Normal food, I mean."

"Yes, and no." Tom answered, "They can't consume normal foods like you and I, but if you base some recipes on blood, either human or animal, I think it is possible for them to eat."

"Even a chocolate cake?"

"Yes. With the right dosage."

Harlow made an interested sound, sneaking a peek at Edward that was still around. The others had dispersed; Carlisle had gone back to work, Emmett went back to his game in the living room, and Rosalie and Alice had giggled (though Rosalie would deny it) and went on a shopping trip, tugging Jasper with them. Esme was still here, watching them with Edward.

"_Why do you ask? Vampires feed on blood, they don't need anything else._" Nagini hissed in his ear. "_Is it because of that one?_" she continued with a small jerk toward Edward who looked at them with interest.

"_Maybe..._" Tom chuckled at his answer.

"_Can we try after the cake?_" Tom smiled a gentle smile and ruffled his hair, minding his ears. "_Let's finish this one first... Then we can see about that Blood Cake._"

With the birthday cake taken care of, Harlow found himself thinking back to those moments during the week where he caught a delicious scent when around Edward. If he had to put a word on it, he'd say it reminded him of a field of wildflowers. He didn't really know much about flowers so he couldn't say which it was exactly. Nevertheless, it was a pleasant scent that he wanted to bask in forever.

Harlow didn't see the surprise cross Edward's face, too absorbed was he into making the cake he had had in mind for his father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The house might need a better description. I have found a nice house on the net that corresponded to what I wanted but I didn't save the picture, it's still an open tag in my web browser on my phone, browser that I never open that much...
> 
> About Harry looking like he's ten... well I don't know if it's too much... I pictured him as less than 140cm tall, but I don't really know how old a kid that height should be...
> 
> Sometimes, I write smell, but I think it should be scent. I didn't correct any I found while I posted because, really, I don't know which one is better.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the last chapter, in the notes, I put Harry's birthday on 1990, but since he's fifteen, it's not correct. Since it was just in the notes, I didn't have to go out of my way and correct it in the text, but I'm saying it, right there. (I don't plan on changing the notes. Let my mistakes be shown to everyone, I say!)
> 
> Harry was born in 1989, in the beginning of 2005 (It's January, remember), he's fifteen. Severus was born in 1969, and is 36 at the start of 2005. Tom's birth date doesn't change.
> 
> I went back and corrected some things and changed some words here and there. Oh, and I changed the 'Harry's into 'Harlow's, because that's his name in this fic.

Tom's visit for Severus' birthday wasn't a surprise, so the older wizard accompanied Harlow back home after they secured the cake in the Cullen's fridge, to ensure Severus wouldn't eat it in the middle of the night. The older fox had grumbled at Nagini climbing him like a tree and squeezing his shoulders before deciding that she wouldn't leave him. It was winter, and Severus radiated more heat than Tom did according to her.

"I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow. And you smell like chocolate."

"Harlow convinced me to come earlier." Tom smiled at Severus, a hand reaching out to one of the fox's ear. His fingers barely grazed the soft fur there before the ear flicked away from his touch as Severus growled at him. 

"Stop that."

Tom smiled devilishly with a waggle of his eyebrow. Harlow was, fortunately, not there to witness the blooming blush on his father's cheeks. Severus could say everything he wanted, he was weak against Tom's charms. But even so, his ears were too sensitive to let the other man fondle them near his son.

"As for the chocolate, well, I indulged a bit before coming. I knew it would drive you mad."

"I should banish you from this house, but you'd just find your way back in."

Severus turned his back on him and went back to the kitchen where he had started to make dinner. Tom sat at the kitchen island, watching the man he was head over heels cook. His ears and tails had faded from sight, but it wasn't because they'd bother him, and potentially leave hair everywhere. It was because he knew Tom was watching avidly his movements. And since Severus was wearing fitting and clothes close to the body, the view was excellent, especially with Nagini curled around the fox's torso.

_Now, who's the tease?_

* * *

Dinner was delicious, as expected from someone who possesses the talent of a Potions Master. After dinner, Harlow informed his father he had talked to the Cullens but hadn't had time to tell them more about their species.

"There's still a lot you don't know, so it's fine. I will talk to them another day."

"Alright. Is there anything I need to know right now that you forgot to tell me, then?"

Severus glanced at Harlow. "Not right now, no."

Harlow grumbled at that. He decided to focus back on his art project rather than prod further.

"I was wondering," Tom started, breaking the silence that had settled after a while, "how did you manage to get Lily to accept the fact she was your mate?" The question had been on his mind for some time. Or rather years. The older fox had always been tight-lipped about that before her death.

Severus frowned. Both Tom and Harlow were looking at him with curiosity.

"I didn't have time to say the words. She took one look at me on my birthday and threw herself into my arms before asking to see my third tail. Took me a while to register what was happening, that I had my mate right there, and she accepted it, me, without a blink. She laughed when all I did was stare at her with wide, surprised eyes.

With her being a Gryffindor and I a Slytherin, we didn't see each other as frequently as we did before we came to Hogwarts, so I was needlessly worried that she'd abandon me."

"But she stayed. Maybe she saw it from day one that you were meant to each other." Tom squeezed Severus' hand. _Just like I did._

Severus didn't resist Tom's gentle assault and let the other man pin him on the sofa. Nagini hissed her displeasure, though, since she had been snoozing on the fox's shoulders, and they had to shift to let her move toward Harlow. The latter didn't even raise a brow at seeing them sprawled on the sofa and went back to his work as Nagini settled around his body.

* * *

Tom was the first awake the next day, intent on preparing breakfast and fetch the chocolate cake they had left with the Cullens. The vampires were glad to see him arrive at the crack down, especially Esme who had wanted to know the details about the making of their Blood Cake. It had been deer flavored, and they had all loved the marriage of the blood and the chocolate they had long forgotten the taste of.

He had left the recipe with them, along with the exact process needed to make things blood flavored. Tom considered this an alliance, that would at least benefit his beloved foxes. As their house was practically between the houses of a vampire coven and of werewolves, they should at least have an ally against the shapeshifters living in the forest.

When Severus and Harlow emerged from their bedrooms, Tom had breakfast ready and served on the dining table that separated kitchen and living room. Nagini was curled on the table, her own breakfast already on its way to be digested. Knowing Severus needed coffee before anything else, Tom placed a mug filled with the bitter nectar in front of the fox.

"Did you sleep well?" Tom asked Harlow whose fur needed a brush.

"Yes. Daddy's bed is the most comfortable ever." Tom made a wondering sound at that.

"He hopped in in the middle of the night, in fox form and dragging a blanket with his mouth." Severus said after having drained his mug. "Picture perfect of cute. I wasn't going to kick him out."

"Pretty sure I'd be if I did the same." Tom grumbled.

"Of course you would. Harlow sneaked in to _sleep_."

Tom raised an eyebrow and gave him a look that seemed to say that he wasn't a pervert that thought of nothing but sex with him. Severus countered it with a look of his own. Only Edward would be able to tell what was passing through their minds. Harlow was sure that Tom had been wanting to celebrate his father's birthday a little more wildly than they had actually planned.

"Oh, I forgot your gift in my room!" Harlow's exclamation brought both men back to the real world, and both watched the kit dart in his room. He came back with a thick and rectangular wrapped package and held it out to his father, tails wagging in anticipation.

Severus' annoyed look at Tom had faded when Harlow had presented him the gift and had downright changed to fondness when he saw it was a book on potions. His ears perking up suddenly were the only sign that he was shocked once he cracked the book open and noticed that though there weren't any titles on the covers or even inside, he was holding the most precious thing in the world (after Harlow).

How many times had he tried to find it before, to no avail? Even _Most Potente Potions_ wasn't exhaustive in its listing. This one was the real bible for the Potioneers. And it was written by Salazar Slytherin himself to boot. Or at least, the beginning was, as the writing changed multiple times as Severus neared the back cover.

He wanted to do many things. Hug his son and tell him he loved it. Which he did. And jump Tom when his kit innocently told him it had been in his library for many years, the secret one that no one knew existed.

Severus refrained from tackling Tom to the ground. It wouldn't do to subject his sweet son to him letting go of his tight control over his own self. Instead, he sent a smoldering look to the other wizard. It was enough to convey this desire he would not act upon. Tom was surprised, but it faded quickly to be replaced by smugness.

One's way to the man's heart wasn't only through his stomach.

"We baked a cake for you too," Harry chimed from against his father's chest, soaking in the warmth he radiated. "Twenty fours layers of dark chocolate."

But it sure helped.

* * *

Harlow retreated to his room after breakfast, citing his art project as an excuse to leave Severus and Tom alone for the rest of the morning. Unfortunately, Tom couldn't stay the whole day. With the time difference between Forks and London, he didn't want to come back too late to prevent Bellatrix from doing something stupid the way only she could do it. Big scale. They couldn't afford to be noticed by Dumbledore yet.

He wanted his father to be happy, to be comfortable enough around Tom that they would finally get together. But Tom was stuck in Britain most of the time, and it was hard to commit to a relationship when there was so much physical distance between them. Tom couldn't afford to come and go lest Dumbledore ends up noticing and ruins their lives, once again.

Harlow sighed, nibbling on his pencil. His ears picked up growls from his father, coming from far closer than he would have thought, hinting that they had relocated to Severus' bedroom. Though he wanted them to get together, he was glad they weren't doing anything too intimate when he was in hearing-range. It was one thing to hope, and entirely another thing to witness it.

That must have been what the growls had been about because it had sounded angry.

* * *

Severus groaned, face buried in his pillow. He had managed to get Tom to keep away from his buttocks, and the man had then decided to torture him with a massage. He had needed it. Being in Forks for less than a month had done nothing to stop his worry that something bad would happen to them. Tom sure would make a good mate. But his mind was still stuck on the fact that his wife, his Lily, was gone.

He should have moved on, some way. After all, fourteen years had passed since her death. And for fifteen years, he had forgotten she had been his mate. All thanks to Dumbledore and his evil mind. That old coot had felt the need to make Tom an evil Dark Lord, only because he spoke to snakes and had great control over his magic before he even set foot in Hogwarts. Then said Dark Lord would have needed a worthy opponent, of course, and the old man had set his sight on Lily to be the mother of this hero. She was brave and fierce. And he, a Slytherin _creature_, was not the best candidate to be the father.

Foxes were resilient to most spells, even the Killing Curse. Their magic was different from wizards' and sturdier too. Foxes had been around for much longer than wizards had been, they even descended from gods, so it stood to reason that they could throw them off easily.

Unfortunately, Dumbledore had managed to find an old book of rituals made to bind creatures such as them (because what else could it have been), and used it on Severus to bind his true self. He could have lived with it, he was sure, and even break the spell with enough time. But the old man had also used a spell to erase memories. He shouldn't have been vulnerable to that since his mother's family excelled in mind magics, but that bastard must have used a good dose of Felix Felicis to make it work.

Severus didn't know if Lily had been subjected to the same kind of spell or not, but she had been careful to glamour their son with a spell strong enough that everyone had thought he had been Potter's.

Severus had found out all about this the year before, when Harlow had almost been eaten by a nesting dragon. His instincts at seeing a part of himself in danger, coupled with his human thoughts that Lily's son was going to die before his eyes, had burst through the fading hold of the ritual.

As for Tom being a good mate...

Severus had always felt it. And he had always been scared by it. Because it meant Lily had been _fated_ to die. Foxes didn't have _potential_ mates, weren't able to choose one among others. Just one mate. If they felt something for another person, it meant their mate was going to die and fate had hand-picked another one just for them. And let you know beforehand.

He had yet to tell Harlow those kinds of things. He had only told him about mates so far since it had been the most pressing issue at the time.

"Did I lose you? Where did you go?"

"I was thinking about how Dumbledore had fucked with our life."

"Come now, things are getting better, right?"

One of Severus' ears perked up at the hesitance in Tom's voice. Things _were_ getting better. And the weight of Tom lying on his back was somewhat reassuring. He made a sound, a low hum, as his tails went to curl around the other man currently using him as a mat.

"They do." he finally answered, turning his head to catch a glimpse of Tom's face, and he was rewarded with the other man relaxing above him. He would never have pegged the Dark Lord, who was a good thirty-three years older than himself, to be so insecure.

"Why is it that you haven't moved off of me yet?" Severus asked after a moment of feeling Tom's fingers fondle his ears.

"You're comfortable..."

* * *

Lunch was prepared by Tom and Harlow, under the watchful eyes of Severus. Eyes that glanced every now and then toward the chocolate cake that sat on the table under a cloche. The older fox couldn't wait to sink his teeth in that much layers of chocolate. Nagini was curled around the cloche to prevent him from touching it before it was time for dessert.

Severus was lucky Tom knew how to cook, it made him more agreeable to accept him as his mate, and he was sure the other man knew that. Not to say that Severus didn't, but any mate worth their salt knew how to provide food for their intended. Severus liked the home-cooked deal better than an invitation to a restaurant.

Lunch was delicious, but nothing beat the chocolate cake he finally could eat. It didn't escape his notice that his son and his possible new mate left over two third of it all to him and were sharing the single slice they had cut in it. Ah, he had forgotten Tom didn't like chocolate that much and Harlow still had trouble eating a full meal without getting sick. They had been working on it before coming to Forks but living among traitors for several months had stressed Harlow too much.

Before leaving for Britain, Tom took both foxes into a tight hug. It would be months before they would see each other again, even if they could talk through their phone or via texts and mails. Severus tolerated the fingers fondling his ears and even Nagini's coiling around his whole body in the tightest hug she possibly could give him without suffocating him. Harlow got the same treatment, though a gentler version as Tom avoided molesting his ears.

When Tom and Nagini were gone, both foxes shifted to their four-legged forms and their fur shimmered white before they darted inside the forest.

* * *

Severus had decided to teach his baby how to hunt. Just in case. His own mother had taught him when she was still sane, and it had served him well at Hogwarts when he had needed to threaten Potter to leave Lily alone. There was so much he needed to teach his kit before letting him go live on his own when he'd finally settle with his mate. He hoped Harlow would still need him even when he'd be a grandfather. And that he'd still be around.

Harlow followed his father through the snow, watching as he sniffed his way around. He had to jump out of the thick coat of snow every now and then, but his father never went too far that he couldn't find him if he was stuck. Or stopped because he could smell the vampire coven. Since they lived near, it made sense he could catch their scents, but Harlow never had the luxury of studying scents and other smells when he was as a fox.

He shifted his focus back to his father quickly, though, since they were in the forest to hunt. They followed the scents of a couple of deer. Severus stopped Harlow with his tails when they were close enough and told him to stay close to the ground. Before the older fox could show the ropes to his kit, there was a rustle to their right.

Severus cloaked them with a spell in the split-second needed for them to see something attack the doe they had found first.

"It's Edward!" Harlow noticed with joy.

The vampire had tackled the doe to the ground, but it was still living, though it was staying still, frozen by fear. Edward turned around when he heard Harlow's voice and was confused when he saw a small white fox bouncing toward him. The confusion cleared when he saw the fur turning black and he spotted the three tails of his friend. He heard a deep sigh before he saw the large eight-tailed fox that was his friend's father coming forward.

"What if it had been a trap?"

"I can recognize Edward's scent, you know."

Edward let the doe go as the foxes started arguing about safety precautions they should take. Standing up, he noticed that Severus was tracking his movements even if he was talking to Harlow. The latter turned to him when he was closer and stood up on his two hind legs, front paws on his pants.

"Hello, Edward. How are you? Were you hunting too?"

"Hello to you too, Harlow." Edward petted the soft fur of the small fox, crouching to be eye-to-eye with them, and nodded to the older fox. "Mr. Snape."

"You feel warmer than yesterday..." Harlow commented as he sniffed the vampire's scent.

"He must have already fed." Severus interjected, taking his kit back by the scruff of his neck. "Blood makes a vampire's heart beat. Still too slow to be considered normal by human standards, though. Life is given back to them for a short while, so to speak."

"Short how?"

Harlow was looking at Edward with curiosity. "It depends on the vampire, but I don't think it goes longer than a week." The vampire answered as the foxes shifted back to their human forms. "I fed two days ago, if you want to know. If you don't count the blood cake from yesterday."

"So, you're not in the forest to hunt..."

Edward shook his head and explained to the foxes that his coven was interested in making more dishes with blood in it, and that the others were after the mountain lions or the bears they usually find deeper in the forest.

Now that they all lost their prey, and doubtful that they'd find another one (_well_, Severus thought, _Harlow isn't interested in hunting anymore_), they decided to go back to the Cullens' home. Since the vampires had met Harlow and Tom, Severus couldn't delay meeting with the vampires.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I shouldn't write on my tablet... The app I'm using isn't really convenient to write. It's not like Word, where I can go back easily between two sections of what I write and keep track of what I did before. But I like it, so I don't think I will change.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please, if you see anything weird, odd, queer, wrong, whatever, PLEASE tell me. I don't have a beta, I'm not confident enough into approaching other people about it, and I feel inadequate.
> 
> I hope I didn't make you wait too much, I got distracted by games (ff7 guys! persona 5 royal guys!), mangas and fics (mine and others's). Also, I feel bad writing less than 3000 words for new chapters...
> 
> Enjoy the new chapter!
> 
> (I went back an edited a few things, like the spelling of a few words, and the fact that the first chapter notes at the end showed everywhere...)

Severus was a bit apprehensive at the prospect of meeting with the Cullen’s Coven. Okay, scratch that, he wanted to avoid them, forever if possible, if only because it increased the odds of him meeting the werewolves deeper in the forest. They lived miles away from each other’s, but fate had a way to throw dangers at his baby. So, he needed to be prepared for every eventuality. And that ultimately meant meeting with the vampires.

The older fox glanced at his son skipping next to Edward. He was radiating happiness just being near the vampire. How much longer before he confesses, Severus wondered? Did Edward have any inkling that Harlow’s life was literally in his hands? His ears caught the subject of their conversation, which was the mysterious art project his kit had been working on lately. He tried to ignore it, in vain.

“And you know, my father is really huge in his fox form, not like you’ve seen earlier. I’ve been paying attention to how he moved and all for that project. It’s going to be great!”

“You really love your father.”

“There’s no one better on this godforsaken Earth.”

Severus heard the soft pop of Harlow’s transformation (as it tended to do when it was hastily done, so early in his training) and he was passed by a bigger fox than he would have expected, and suddenly recognized himself. Though, the effect was broken when Harlow looked over his shoulder and _wagged his tails_!

“Harlow, stop that!” he scolded him, slight horror in his tone. “Not with my body!”

His son had the nerve to stick his tongue out to him before darting forward. Severus growled and shifted mid-step before giving chase. Edward was left alone but he could still see them tumbling in the snow, growling playfully as they chased each other, forgetting he was even there.

When they finally reached Edward’s house, Severus was still as a fox, Harlow dangling from his jaws. The smaller fox was out of breath, and Severus wasn’t even showing the running had affected him. The older fox Shifted to his human form, cradling Harlow in his arms. The kit squirmed in his father’s arm to be let down, and halfway to the ground, he also Shifted back to his human form and stretched.

“I think you’ll like Mr. Cullen, Daddy.”

“Oh?”

“He’s the most sensible one.”

* * *

The meeting between the Cullen coven and his father had gone well, though both foxes were still wary of Alice’s powers, hoping she wasn’t prone to make Prophecies, and screw other people’s lives in the process. Thanks to his Occlumency, neither Edward nor Jasper had been able to glean anything from his father. Nevertheless, the vampires had agreed on an alliance should enemies (from both sides) decide to show up. Severus had even viciously (with a smile filled with shark teeth) added that he’d help taking down a few werewolves any time of the day, or the night.

The next week started normally after that. Harlow was becoming more and more puzzled by the scent he kept catching coming from Edward. Other people’s scents weren’t as diverse, so Harlow finally entertained the idea that Edward might be his mate. However, he hadn’t spent years with him like his father had with his mother to be absolutely certain of it, and the thought of Edward being his mate for real was a bit scary. Edward was older than his father, maybe even older than Tom. He wasn’t a real teenager anymore; would he even want dating one? Do mates even do dates? Like normal teenagers? And if in the end he happened not to be his mate, would the Cullens stop being friendly?

The coven had welcomed them warmly into their social circle and of course, in such a small town as Forks, and with a school that roughly had as much students as Hogwarts did, everybody knew it and were puzzled by the easy acceptation while other people had struggled to achieve the same. Harlow tried to ignore the rumors, the whispers and the pointed fingers. It was hard, despite his introduction to ‘fame’ at Hogwarts.

“Daddy, what do I do about Edward?” Harlow asked his father after a few days.

Edward had, after a mental prompting from Severus, started to pick Harlow up in the morning for school. Though the older fox wasn’t bothered by this, and would prefer it continue forever, he knew Harlow wouldn’t want to be forever remembered as a “Daddy’s Boy” in this town. Of course, it wasn’t a matter of fearing for his reputation, but rather hoping that this fear at not seeing his father every minutes of every days would fade if he spent that time with other people. This meant that Harlow was acutely aware of Edward’s unique scent once sat in the vampire’s car. The younger fox was doubly glad in these moments that his father had given him a necklace to prevent people from peeking into his mind, intentionally or not.

“You should tell him.”

“But... What if it’s just my imagination? What if I’ve been hoping so hard for it that my brain just thought it all up?”

“Your nose has never failed you before.”

Harlow was silent for a moment, pondering this fact. It was true. Ever since they had realized he was a Fox, he had known who to trust, and who to steer clear from. People’s base scents were either bitter or sweet to one fox, and no two foxes would smell the same thing. A sweet scent was good, a bitter one wasn’t. Base scents were scents he’d catch from people he didn’t know. The more time he spent with it, the clearer, and more complex, it became.

“How do you suppose I should tell him?”

“With words. Some people are oblivious to gestures.”

“You’re not helping, you know.”

There was a snicker from behind the newspaper his father was reading. He still couldn’t believe his own father made sounds like that. It sounded evil, not at all sympathetic, like he’d expected his father to act in this situation.

“You should do it soon, nevertheless,” Severus continued after his snicker had died down. “The more you wait, the more complicated it will be to do it, especially as the madness starts seeping into your mind.”

“Madness?”

“All foxes are subjects to it; I suppose it comes from an ancestor who was foolish enough to fight against a god. You won’t be thinking straight and you will start attacking any you perceive as a threat, whether it’s real or not. I won’t have you put down like a vulgar beast, so you best go to the vampire and tell him before the bad instincts starts to claws their way out.” It came out harsher than Severus had intended, but he had just gotten his baby back. He didn’t want to lose him again so soon, and certainly not to the madness that poisoned their minds when their mates were gone, or if they were rejected by them.

So, Harlow resolved to confess to the vampire before the week was over.

* * *

Edward could tell the younger boy was nervous. Even if hadn’t been able to peek into his mind (though it was dulled by the necklace), Edward would have known there was something preoccupying the young fox. The worry seemed to have piled up during those last few days, after the meeting between their families, but Edward wouldn’t pry any more than he could without meaning it. Still, all that nervousness can’t be good for the small boy.

“Are you alright, Harlow?” Edward finally asked at lunch when the whole family and the fox sat at their table.

If he thought the question would be enough, he was wrong. Harlow emitted a low whine and decided to let his head fall on his lunch which, fortunately, was a chicken sandwich. Emmet patted his head in comfort. Everyone was concerned about him.

“Is math too hard?” the burly vampire asked on a teasing tone, hoping to lift his spirits.

“Yes. But it’s not that.”

_It’s about Edward..._

“What about me?” He received a frown from the fox, knowing he wasn’t happy with his thoughts being read. _I will ask my father about teaching you something to control your power._ Edward heard very clearly, despite the fact Harlow was still wearing his necklace.

Harlow took hold of Edward’s fork and waved it with a murmured _Muffliato_ accompanying the movement. A tingling feeling coursed through the vampires.

“So, you remember how my father, last Saturday, met with Carlisle and Esmee? The things he told you about us, Foxes?”

“Of course. Who do you take us for? Mutts?” Rosalie scoffed in derision. “He mainly told us about your lifestyle, though.”

“Yes. There are other things you’d need to know... Not just about us, but the wizards too.”

Harlow picked up his sandwich and considered it for a brief moment, many thoughts flitting through his mind too quickly for Edward to be able to hear one that was clear, before putting it back down. Then, _To hell with it. It’s going to end the sa-_

“Edward, you’re my mate!” He blurted out quickly, and then hid his face in his hands with a whine, blush spreading over his cheeks, up to his ears. The vampires were shocked, to say the least, at the delivery more than the actual words. Edward didn’t know how to take it. Silence settled awkwardly around the table.

_Oh my god, what I have done?!_

Harlow stood up suddenly and abandoned his lunch in favor of fleeing the cafeteria before anything could be said. Edward blinked and turned his head in the direction he went. A hand pushed at his shoulder and he allowed the pressure to make him shift, and snap him out of his silence. It was Alice.

“Go! If he thinks you’re rejecting him...!” there was a note of urgency in her voice.

He could see it as she virtually threw the vision that she had gotten at some point at him. It depicted nothing good, for everyone involved. A mad fox was inconsolable, and it would wreak mayhem everywhere it went, enjoying the despair caused. Harlow wouldn’t be the only one suffering, though, but Edward too. Not because he would physically or mentally be affected by the bond that they seemed to share itself, but because Severus would descend upon him and eat him alive, blue flames licking at his body even as he tried to get the older fox off. And Harlow... Harlow would watch, sat near them, tails thumping against the ground in anticipation before joining his father when Edward’s chest had been torn open, enough for the kit to reach his heart.

If only the vision stopped there...

After that, Severus would target his coven, and bring Tom and what looked like a small army of witches and wizards wearing long dark cloaks and white masks with him to raze the town to the ground. Eventually, Harlow would be caught by other wizards that even Edward could feel were bad news, and they _put the kit down_. The world would burn under Severus’ rage at the loss of his son.

Edward shook his head to get the vision out of his head before he stood up and left, intent on finding the fox. It wasn’t a hard thing to do, considering his finer sense of smell and the fact he could hear his thoughts in the parking lot. He found Harlow under his car, in his fox form, necklace held in his mouth. He was trembling and inching slowly toward the other side of the car. Edward looked around to check that nobody could see him and laid on his back so that he could watch the black fox.

“I thought I’d never get a mate.” was the first thing out of his mouth, and when he felt the same tingle as just a few moments earlier in the cafeteria, the story fell at once from his lips.

He had admittedly thought about this for a long time after he had first been turned. Would he have the chance to meet with the one person that would complete him? And then he had gotten lost in his bloodlust for some years before crawling back to his maker, Carlisle, and deciding that no one would want a blood-sucking monster for mate. Each time he saw his family happy with their mates, he felt alone, even if he smiled and continued his life as if it wasn’t carving a hole in his soul. Despair had long since sunk its claws in his heart.

That is, until Christmas break.

Edward had started to feel some changes, but hadn’t been able to pinpoint where it was coming from. Then words had gotten around that a father and his son had moved in Forks no too far from where the coven lived, and then, one day, he had caught their scent in the forest, and each day that passed, his soul felt lighter. Until Severus had told them why their species had a total of nine tails (when Carlisle had inquired about it), that it was not only a representation of one Fox’s power, you could also tell the state of the bond they had with their mates, that Edward had started to feel a sliver of hope. Which was why he had agreed so readily to pick Harlow up each morning. He had a small hope that this three-tailed small boy was his mate, or if not, someone of great import, he didn’t care which. Without realizing it, he wanted Harlow in his life.

Edward reached out his hand toward Harlow.

“I wasn’t rejecting you,” he told him, happy to see his ears perk up and see him crawl closer. “I was surprised, that’s all.”

_Really?_ Images of a different Harlow reached his mind, where he was talking to a taller boy. They were both dressed in robes, though his were lined with yellow rather than Harlow’s red. The younger boy was a blushing and stuttering mess while talking to that tall teenager who, if he looked closely, bore a small resemblance to Edward. The vampire couldn’t hear their words, as if Harlow had worked really hard to forget it even happened, but he could see the fox paling after the other boy’s answer. When the scene shifted, it was to a devastated Harlow who was laughed at by other students.

Edward felt fur under his fingers and wasn’t surprised to see teary green eyes peering at him.

_You won’t leave?_

“Never, for however long you want me.”

_I’d never _not_ want you._

Harlow crawled out from under the car, happy to hear he wasn’t rejected for being too young, or worse a boy like last time. Edward stood up when Harlow was fully out and he shifted to what he called his quarter form. The fox put back the necklace that he had to pull out of his mouth with a grimace, but tucked it back under his shirt before turning to the vampire. Harlow wanted to throw himself in Edward’s arm so happy he was that he had a mate, but he didn’t dare to with so many people loitering in the parking lot.

Edward offered him a hand. The vampire had to smile at the happy thoughts he could get from Harlow’s mind when the fox reached out to put his hand in Edward’s. He led him back toward the cafeteria but they were intercepted by the rest of the Cullens before they could even get inside the entrance hall. Alice was holding Harlow’s coat, bag and lunch which she gave to him as soon as they were in reach.

“So, I hear there’s good news?” Alice sing-songed as Edward led them toward a more secluded place where the fox could eat his lunch in peace, knowing that his father didn’t like him skipping meals, intentionally or not.

“Well, the town isn’t on fire.” The comment didn’t come from Edward, but from Harlow who started on his lunch. It caused eyebrows to rise.

“What? You think my father would have let it go? He’d bring Tom too, I bet, and the crazy ones. Bellatrix LeStrange is not someone you want to fight against...”

They all shook their head because Severus had demonstrated he was overprotective of his son plenty of times, even before they had ‘officially’ met, and only Alice and Edward knew what the situation would have looked like had Harlow come back home without Edward and in tears. Still, it was surprising to note that Harlow knew the exact extent Severus would go to in order to ensure his son’s happiness.

“I’m glad you finally told him,” claimed Emmett as silence settled. “I’m sure Jasper was fed up with the longing _everyone_ could feel from Edward.”

With the blood inside his body, Edward’s cheeks were painted a soft pink at Emmett’s words and his family’s chuckles. Apparently, they all had known that Edward and Harlow were mates, but had managed to shut that knowledge out from Edward’s mind-reading abilities, and they had been waiting for the moment one of the two would give in.

“I didn’t expect you to be so nervous about it, though, Harlow,” admitted Rosalie. “You look like a confident kid.”

“And we all know looks can be deceiving.” Harlow sighed.

* * *

Harlow was on cloud nine all day after that and everyone noticed. When he came back home, he introduced Edward to his father as his mate, chest puffed out in pride, hands on his hips, and unfairly cute, even with his ears and tails hidden. Severus’ phone was in his hand before he knew it, and the picture taken was sent to Tom before Harlow could protest.

When Harlow bid goodbye to Edward and left to put his bag in his room, Severus glared at the vampire, venom in his eyes.

“If you even think about hurting him...” he trailed off as he let out a snarl. “You don’t want to know what I’m going to do with you.”

Edward didn’t want to tell him that he already knew what would happen if he dared to make Harlow cry. He only nodded to the older fox and left. He would do his best not to ever trouble his small mate.

Severus let out a growl at Edward’s back. He was glad Harlow had found his mate so soon into their new life. Now, it was a matter of keeping the new couple out of Dumbledore’s reach. The old coot had never bought Tom’s claims that he and Harlow were dead and was searching for them, even if Tom had produced corpses that looked and felt like them magically. Fortunately, for now, Dumbledore still thought they would never leave Britain, but sooner or later, he’d understand they had and he would start to reach out to other countries.

Moving to his son’s room, he stopped at the door. Harlow was perched on his desk chair, hanging what looked like a colorful drape to a spot up near the ceiling on the wall opposite to his bed.

“What are you doing?”

“I finished my art project. Tom showed me how to make it a tapestry before he left. I remembered not to use my wand.”

Severus made an interested sound, curious as to what it could have been. He leaned against the door frame as Harlow _jumped_ from the chair (which had wheels), pushed it to the other side on the wall where he was standing, and climbed back on it to hang the other end of the tapestry. Harlow smoothed it down once done and took a few steps away from the wall to admire his work.

The tapestry, formerly a Tabloid sheet, depicted a large black fox (himself if he had heard correctly the week before), majestic with its eight tails in a large fan, in a fight against a white wolf whose fur was coated with blood. Blood was dripping also from the fox’s mouth and teeth. He had seen the original, briefly, as something made with markers, but the spell had transformed the whole thing into a stitched tapestry without losing any quality to the drawing.

“I wasn’t going to put a wolf in there until you told me about how the Madness started. And then I thought it was fitting because you really hate them, so I added the blood too and it was even better.”

“This day is filled with prideful moments for you, isn’t it? A mate, a tapestry showing how much you love the feral side or your own father...”

Severus didn’t really mind that Harlow liked to see him that way. After what they had lived, the bloodthirsty side of their species was finally showing up in his baby. Blessed be the fact he found his mate; it had been on his son’s mind for so long that he had had yet to embrace the fact he might want to see other people bleed and enjoy the sight of it.


End file.
